Fig. 7
From: High CD133 expression in proximal tubular cells in diabetic kidney disease: good or bad?
Schematic representation of the proposed hypothesis on the role of CD133+ PTCs in DKD progression. As a unique stimulatory factor to provoke DKD pathology, high glucose, could promote cell apoptosis. The increased expression of CD133 in PTCs protects cells from apoptosis, and CD133+ PTCs retain their repair tendency and could be involved in cell regeneration in certain situations. However, the vicious cycle of renal pathology in DKD makes the functions of CD133+ PTCs impaired and fails to complete the renal repair process, further aggravating kidney injury and contributing to DKD progression